Arthur Foss
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The tugboat Arthur Foss, built in 1889, is the oldest wooden-hulled tug afloat in the United States. She gained worldwide fame when the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio leased the vessel for its 1933 production Tugboat Annie, starring Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery. In World War II, Arthur Foss was the last ship to escape before the Battle of Wake Island began in early 1942.
The six-cylinder, 700-horsepower diesel motor can drive the tug up to 13 knots. The vessel is 120 feet long with a beam of 25 feet and a draft of 16 feet. Donated by Foss Launch and Tug (now Foss Maritime) to Northwest Seaport in 1970, the owners completed a $315,000 renovation in 2004. The vessel is a National Historic Landmark and a city landmark. Visitors may board the vessel at its berth at South Lake Union Park in Seattle when volunteer staff is available.
